Return to SR's - Rod's 2008 Report

Return to SR's - ¡Que Bueno!

Rod's Report, March 16-31, 2009

(to be updated)

(Click pics for larger image)

Here's just a brief synopsis of my trip to Costa Rica

Some Pics I Shot During the Small Days

"Moses" rides a small left at Turtle Heads	"El Pico" rides a small right at Turtle Heads
A satisfied customer sighs, "I love my paipos!"	Riders Up! Our faithful companions during our weeks at the villa
Local guy riding a small Outer Wash wave. The distance from the shore in this picture is deceiving. The wave is breaking several hundred yards from the shore on an outer reef. An Unusual Crowd and Drop-In at the Outer Wash - Two Local Buddies Neal Out Early on a Small Swell - Low Tide Wave at the Outer Wash

(L) Rod and wife, Miami International Airport.

(R) Paul, Rod, Brett and Mike

Easter in 2008 is March 23rd.

***Enter forecast here***

Tides April 2008

Sunday     Monday    Tuesday   Wednesday   Thursday   Friday     Saturday

   03-30      03-31      04-01      04-02      04-03      04-04   New 04-05
L0418 1.8 L0521 2.0 H0015 6.5 H0122 6.8 H0220 7.2 H0309 7.8 H0354 8.4
H1047 6.3 H1154 6.3 L0628 2.0 L0730 1.7 L0824 1.2 L0910 0.6 L0954 0.0
L1637 2.5 L1748 2.5 H1301 6.6 H1357 7.1 H1446 7.8 H1531 8.6 H1613 9.3
H2304 6.6            L1900 2.2 L2002 1.6 L2054 0.9 L2140 0.2 L2225 -0.5

   04-06      04-07      04-08      04-09      04-10      04-11   FQtr 04-12
H0438 8.9 H0522 9.2 H0605 9.3 L0037 -1.2 L0124 -1.0 L0214 -0.5 L0310 0.1
L1037 -0.4 L1120 -0.7 L1204 -0.8 H0651 9.2 H0740 8.9 H0833 8.5 H0932 8.0
H1656 9.8 H1739 10.1 H1823 10.2 L1250 -0.7 L1339 -0.3 L1433 0.3 L1533 0.9
L2308 -1.0 L2352 -1.2            H1910 9.9 H1959 9.5 H2054 8.8 H2156 8.1

   04-13      04-14      04-15      04-16      04-17      04-18      04-19
L0412 0.7 L0523 1.1 H0022 7.3 H0132 7.4 H0232 7.6 H0323 7.8 H0407 8.0
H1040 7.6 H1153 7.5 L0636 1.3 L0743 1.2 L0839 1.0 L0926 0.8 L1007 0.6
L1644 1.4 L1803 1.6 H1304 7.6 H1406 7.9 H1458 8.3 H1543 8.6 H1622 8.8
H2307 7.6            L1919 1.5 L2022 1.2 L2114 0.8 L2158 0.5 L2237 0.2

Full 04-20    04-21      04-22      04-23      04-24      04-25      04-26
H0447 8.2 H0524 8.2 H0601 8.2 L0022 0.1 L0058 0.3 L0135 0.6 L0214 0.9
L1044 0.6 L1119 0.6 L1154 0.7 H0637 8.0 H0715 7.8 H0754 7.5 H0836 7.2
H1659 8.9 H1735 8.9 H1810 8.8 L1229 0.9 L1306 1.1 L1345 1.5 L1427 1.8
L2313 0.1 L2347 0.0            H1845 8.6 H1922 8.3 H2001 7.9 H2044 7.5

   04-27   LQtr 04-28    04-29      04-30      05-01      05-02      05-03
L0258 1.3 L0346 1.6 L0441 1.8 L0540 1.8 H0038 6.9 H0137 7.3 H0230 7.8
H0923 7.0 H1016 6.9 H1114 6.9 H1213 7.2 L0639 1.6 L0734 1.2 L0827 0.8
L1516 2.1 L1612 2.2 L1715 2.2 L1820 1.9 H1309 7.7 H1401 8.3 H1450 8.9
H2134 7.1 H2231 6.8 H2335 6.8            L1920 1.4 L2015 0.8 L2105 0.1

A Prior Year's Stuff

Wed
March 21st

Up at 4am and off to the airport for a 6:10am flight, PHL-MIA-LIR. We arrived to Liberia Int'l Airport around 12:10pm. Luggage pickup and customs went quickly and smoothly, as did our vehicle rental pick-ups. About 3 hours later we were at our Villa overlooking SR's cove.

Anticipating some good swell, I bee-lined to the check-in desk to get the process started and then peaked around for a view of the bay: it was going off with sunlit offshores. Let's hurry up this process!

After a hasty check in, it was time to unpack the waveriding equipment, fin the board, wax up and paddle out.

Outside Wash was a perfect 8-10' and The Wash was breaking a consistent head-plus with its patent 150 yard rides. Even though I was last to reach the takeoff zone, I was first to catch a wave and it was kick-ass all the way, breaking hard with many off the lips and roundhouse cutbacks and veranda cover-ups or better. It usually takes me a few waves, or a session, to get warmed up after a lay off (my last surf was in Puerto Rico during late December 2006), but not today or this trip :) Our gang later paddled out to Outer Wash but it was late, the tide was beginning to change over and we didn't catch any waves. Did I mention we had the break to ourselves?

We feasted at the villa for dinner, knocked back a few celebratory drinks and hit the sack early. The boys traveled by "the rule" on this trip - no longboards, we're here to find and ride some SURF! They each brought two boards, a short board and a fish-type or quad-fish, and no regrets.

Thu
March 22nd

Another day of 8 to 10 foot at the Outer Wash and a couple of 12' clean-up sets. Brett and I each caught one wave (we would have caught more if we could have settled into a solid line-up spot but it was difficult to do so far out combined with the wind blowing, the water currents, sets of only a few waves every 15 minutes and only the two of us). One of the large clean-up sets clocked me - if only I'd been able to do a wave face paddle-up and late drop off the lip and gone right. Most of the waves there are lefts so I squandered that opportunity. Maybe it was for the better ;) The ride down on my one wave, a good 10-footer, was a bruiser with the side-chop ripples on the wave. My ribs, stomach and hands were to feel the effects for the next couple of days.

On the inside it was more ripalicious 4-7'. For me the best, most powerful waves were the steep/airdrops on the southside of the rock which produced a good punch of speed. Everyone was doing better today after yesterday's tentative session for the others. Lot's of long walls and reforms provided plenty of funs with many turns, re-entries and trims. Another good day of tasty meals and sundowner drinks at the villa.

Fri
March 23rdth

Today's swell was a replay of yesterday's conditions. Brett and I each caught two at a glassier Outside Wash. Today also featured the arrival of the MetroSexuals, or more aptly the "floating dildos" out in the line-up. We coined two of the four, "El Bisquito" and "Carolina." Bisquito earned his moniker for his propensity to follow me about like a little puppy (the villa's house pet is named Bisquit). Carolina wore the colors of the namesake university and had a propensity to snake and do paddle arounds. Figured this gang to be from Orange County breaks featuring 200 persons in the line-up for their total lack of surfing ettiquette. They were also clueless about the tides, reef formations and where to line-up. This came into play when they followed me as I paddled to Outer Wash in a line about 30 yds apart. Two of them set-up in the impact zone and proceeded to be summarily clocked right in front of the shallow reef rocks. Bisquito placed himself way out on the shoulder. He started to drop-in on me but pulled out when I started whistling.Good man, Bisquito!!!

What a way to encroach upon our otherwise vacant breaks!

Paul walking over for a surf check...

Food content: More great meals at the Villa.

Sat
March 24th

Brett is reported to be bedridden with a nasty flu-like virus. His body aches, vomiting, the whole enchilada. After breakfast and a surf in some small 3-5 footers, we rest of us boys ventured south in-search-of future surf spots. I pulled out my satellite photos, we pointed the 4WD south and went adventuring.We found our first spot to explore in a sleepy fishing village. It was amazing to watch 5 men carry a heavy wooden bolo type fishing boat on two slings hitched to two wooden poles. The pace was very slow and relaxing. We continued south exploring various roads appearing to lead to the beach, usually leading to a villa or hopeful developments. Finally we began to thirst and hunger and decided to stop at a restaurant/villa we had seen signs for along the way. This ended up being quite a score. The villa is located about a mile off the "main dirt road" and perched on a bluff overlooking a nice bay was an Italian restaurant (actually Scicilian). Thinking we'd find tipico Tico food we instead found a gourmet restaurant nested away in a remote Costa Rican location. The three of us split two salads and a plate of cheese ravioli like we'd never tasted before. "Totally awsome, dude!" We decided to bring rest of the crew back for lunch a few days later.

Sun
March 25th

After a morning surf at a punchless Wash the group made a last-time mandatory "shopping trip" to Tamarindo. Neal wasn't so interested in shopping as personally witnessing the transformation of a sleepy, surfing fishing village Tamarindo into a grotesque "Tama-Gringo" pull of pulsating gringos and hordes of pimpers ready to meet their every need, be it a Burger King hamburger, Pizza Hut pizza, a bag of crack or a sore-infested whore. Oh well... guess some people have needs but why don't they just go to Tijuana or Vegas??? In summation, Neal was ready to leave after 10 minutes. Thankfully he didn't witness the total coastal development of Playa Grande area beaches. Spring break probably made the Tamarindo scene worse, but I can't imagine returning. Why should we since we have found our little corner of Pura Vida?

Mon
March 26th

The parents of school age kiddies were up at the crack of dawn and went walking along the beach to see what they might find. They did find! Just two coves north was a nice wave breaking, lefts and rights. They returned to my room knocking on the door all stoked and excited, Neal grinning from ear-to-ear about their discovery. I had been in a deep sleep after tossing and turning all evening. Groggily, I peered over his shoulder dowun upon our own bay and didn't see much happening and just frowning at him. Nonetheless, my ambivalense couldn't quell his excitemnt.I volunteered to drive them over and drop them off. I returned for another hour's sleep and a light breakfast and then drove to pick the boys up so they wouldn't have another long walk back. Snapped a few shots and laid low in the tree line.

Tue
March 27th

Wed
Mar 28th

Thu
March 29th

Getaway day. Long, last breakfast. Packed up and hit the road to Liberia.

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Last updated on 04/15/09